Aphrodite
|- | | |} |} Aphrodite (Venus) is one of the Ancient Goddess of the Greco-Roman era. She was known as the GODDESS OF LOVE and no one could compare to her in Beauty. There are two accounts of her birth recorded but only one states that Dione is her mother. She is said to possess a magical girdle that compels anyone she wishes to desire her. 'Symbols/Attributes: rose, scallop shell, pomegranate, '''' '''myrtle wreath Appearance She is always depicted as a beautiful woman. History After Kronos dismembered Ouranos, he threw his father's remains into the sea, and from the foam Aphrodite was born. The sea in which she was born (although some myths say she was the daughter of Zeus and goddess Dione) is said to be near Paphos, a city at the island of Cyprus in the Mediterranean sea. She later joined the Olympians after Zeus assumed power and quickly became the source of conflict among the gods. Although he was tempted to take her for himself, Zeus eventually married her to Hephaestus. Unhappy with the marriage, Aphrodite had an affair with the handsome and passionate Ares even after her husband humiliated her by publicly exposing her relationship. She would also have romances with both mortals and other gods over the centuries. In some myths it is said she goes to the place she rised from every year and dresses in her finest garments. TROY Aphrodite contributed greatly to the cause of the Trojan War, which lasted ten years and caused the violent downfall of the city of Troy. During the marriage of Thetis and Peleus, Eris in anger for not being invited tossed a Golden Apple into the room, where several goddesses saw it and fought over it. Eventually it came down to three goddesses, Aphrodite, Hera, and Athena. They quarreled over who was the fairest of them all, as the apple read "For the Fairest" on it. Zeus, tired of all the arguing sent Hermes to bring the first person he found to judge who is the fairest of the three goddesses. Unfortunately, he found Paris, Prince of Troy, to judge them. Hera offered him control over all Asia and Europe if she was picked, while Athena offered battle skills and intelligence. Aphrodite on the other hand offered him the hand of the most beautiful woman alive. Paris thought nothing of Athena and Hera's offers, so he chose Aphrodite's gift. Aphrodite asked her son Eros to cause Helen to fall in love with Paris. He did as his mother asked and the two fell in love, resulting in Paris sneaking her back to the city of Troy. However, Helen was already married to King Meneleus of Sparta and when he learned of what happened, he went to his brother Agammemnon and the two started a campaign against Troy, resulting in the Trojan War. Aphrodite supported Troy in the war, and intervened many times on behalf of Paris, and her favorite son, Aeneas, who was also of Trojan royalty. In Ancient Culture Consort All of the gods fell in love with Aphrodite at first sight. Because of his guilt and to avoid trouble, Zeus gave her hand in marriage to his son, Hephaestus. Because she wanted to continue her life with the gods, Aphrodite agreed to the marriage. However, all she saw when she looked at Hephaestus was a sweaty, dull fellow who worked entirely too many hours. Aphrodite was a creature who loved passion, glamour, and physical beauty. She would have much rather married someone like Hephaestus’ brother, Ares, the god of war. When she looked at him, she saw physical beauty and excitement, quite the contrary to his boring and ugly brother. Worship In ancient Greece, Aphrodite was worshiped with incense altars and dove sacrifices Ares and Aphrodite Aphrodite, the enchanting goddess of beauty and love, was married to the ugly, deformed god of fire, Hephaestus, Ares Brother. Ares and Aphrodite fell in love and had an affair. He, Hephaestus discovered his wife's infidelity had trapped the two lovers in an invisible net. There, he held them captive for all the other Olympians to see. Offspring: Eros Gallery aphroditedrawing.jpg aphrodite1.jpg Aphroditelove3.jpg Aphroditelove2.jpg Aphroditelove.jpg aphroditehephaestus.png Category:Gods Category:Greek_Roman